--- type: "Article" title: "How to choose which grammar schools to apply to" description: "Choose grammar schools on exam board, culture, distance, admissions criteria and fit, not just league tables. Apply to more than one, and visit open days." resource: https://pip11plus.com/how-to-choose-which-grammar-schools-to-apply-to tags: ["grammar schools", "pip"] timestamp: 2026-10-13T19:50:09Z image: https://pip11plus.com/info-hub-cards/school-choice-pip.jpg --- 馃彨 School Choice # How to choose which grammar schools to apply to ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) **By the Pip team** Updated June 2026 Choosing grammar schools is about more than the league table position. The factors that really matter are the exam board the school uses, its culture and values, the travel distance, its admissions and oversubscription criteria, and above all whether it suits your particular child. Apply to more than one where you can, since passing does not guarantee a place, and treat open days as the best way to judge the things a ranking can never show you. **TL;DR** - Look beyond league tables to culture, distance, criteria and fit. - Check the exam board, since it shapes how your child prepares. - Apply to more than one school where you can, to improve the odds. - Visit open days to judge what a ranking cannot show. ## Look beyond league tables League tables are a starting point, not an answer. They tell you about average results, but not about how a school feels, how it teaches, or whether your child would be happy there. So weigh the human factors too: the culture, the pastoral care, the journey each day, and the fit for your child's personality. The right school is the one your child will thrive in, not simply the highest ranked. _Choosing a grammar is about more than rank: weigh the exam board, culture, distance, admissions criteria, and above all the fit for your child._ ## Check the exam board A practical detail that is easy to miss: different schools use different exam boards, and that shapes what your child should practise. Knowing whether a school uses GL or CEM lets you focus preparation rather than spread it thin, so it is worth reading up on [the difference between GL and CEM](https://pip11plus.com/what-is-the-difference-between-gl-and-cem) before you finalise your list. **Fit beats rank** A school that suits your child's temperament and learning style will serve them better than a higher-ranked one that does not. Picture your actual child there, not an idealised pupil, when you compare options. _Fit beats rank: the highest-ranked school may not suit your child. Pick the one where your actual child will thrive, not an idealised pupil._ ## Admissions and distance Read each school's admissions and oversubscription criteria carefully, because they decide who gets a place among children who all pass. Distance and siblings are common tiebreakers. This connects to whether you [need to live in the catchment area](https://pip11plus.com/do-we-need-to-live-in-the-catchment-area-for-the-11-plus), and to the wider truth that a child can [pass and still not get a place](https://pip11plus.com/can-you-pass-the-11-plus-but-not-get-a-place). Knowing the rules helps you build a realistic shortlist. ## Apply to more than one Because a pass is not a guaranteed place, a single application is a gamble. Naming several eligible schools spreads the risk and improves the chance of at least one offer. Our guide to [sitting the 11+ for multiple schools](https://pip11plus.com/can-my-child-sit-the-11-plus-for-multiple-schools) explains how consortiums and separate entries work, so you can apply widely without overloading your child. ## Visit open days Nothing replaces seeing a school in person. An open day reveals the atmosphere, the staff and the small details that decide whether your child would feel at home. Go prepared with the right questions, which our guide on [what to ask at a grammar school open day](https://pip11plus.com/what-to-ask-at-a-grammar-school-open-day) sets out. And if you are still weighing selective against non-selective, our take on whether [grammar schools are better than comprehensives](https://pip11plus.com/are-grammar-schools-better-than-comprehensives) may help. ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) Written by **The Pip team** The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers. ## Keep reading [Grammar school catchment checker](https://pip11plus.com/grammar-school-catchment-checker): Free Tool Rank every grammar by distance from your postcode, with a catchment answer for each. Free tool 路 Catchment [What to ask at a grammar school open day](https://pip11plus.com/what-to-ask-at-a-grammar-school-open-day): School Choice The questions that reveal the real school. 4 min read 路 School Choice [Are grammar schools better than comprehensives?](https://pip11plus.com/are-grammar-schools-better-than-comprehensives): School Choice Why fit matters more than the label. 4 min read 路 School Choice [Can my child sit the 11+ for multiple schools?](https://pip11plus.com/can-my-child-sit-the-11-plus-for-multiple-schools): Registration Consortiums, separate entries and how it works. 4 min read 路 Registration ## Whatever your shortlist, be ready Pip turns 11+ practice into five calm minutes a day across maths, English and reasoning, building the skills every grammar school tests. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [More 11+ guides](https://pip11plus.com/info-hub) Free forever 路 no sign-up